Saudi Arabia Works to Protect Oil Fields From Terrorism

Saudi Arabia is spending billions of dollars in manpower, technology and weapons to improve its oilfield defenses against terrorism, reports the Dallas Morning News.  Already,al-Qaeda operatives have launched attacks on several oil compounds the Saudis this year created a Petroleum Facilities Force made up of Saudi soldiers, sailors and police officers. Its job is to protect pipelines, the perimeter of oil fields and processing plants. Saudi security officials say the force now has about 9,000 of its planned 35,000 troops. Still to come are a helicopter force crucial for pipeline defense and an air-defense system designed to thwart both suicide aircraft and missiles.